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New to learning Copperplate, I just got the most basic Tom's Studio oblique pen holder (the plain brass one) which is supposedly a present from my husband so I can't open it til my birthday. In the meantime, I realised I need a straight holder as well so I got the matching straight holder to play with... Can find the Testimonials on Tom's Studio website but not many reviews of his pens. Just wondering if anyone here has used them and if so, what do you think? http://www.tomsstudio.co.uk/shop/brassholders

A bit of a query. I've found I enjoy most of all writing at home with a dip pen; letters, journals, notes and the rest. There are pen holders and ink wells dotted around the house here and there ready to pick up, the kitchen, my writing desk, bedroom... My various holders are all pretty standard affairs, all of different sizes and materials, bone, wood, plastic, pewter. I have been thinking it would be nice to get a custom holder made to the length, weight and diameter I find most comfortable and in some nice materials. I have been toying with the idea of perhaps ebony with a pierced silver overlay and a silver ferrule. I have been keeping my eyes out for antique holders and gold nibs for sale online but have yet to find something that really appeals to me. I don't want a solid silver holder as I think that will be too heavy for lengthy use but I would like silver to be incorporated. I'm not one for gold or mother of pearl either. Bone and silver are a nice combination. So my query or rather queries; Firstly, does anyone know who, in the UK, might make such an animal and, secondly, what other suggestions do people have for designs and a nice combination of materials? Dom Edited to amend 'filigree' to 'pierced', filigree was not what I meant.

Around late July, I found this thread on here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/146143-metallic-gold-dip-pen-ink/ Being a crafty type person I had to try it, and thus started my dive into dip pens, and mixing ink for them. Specifically from the PearlEx Powdered Pigments. This is my current set of colors, along with my sample writing of them: I got so into making colors out of the powders, it was ridiculous. And then I started getting into customizing my dip pen holder, until I figured out and found the pieces to be able to make my own holder that holds feathers. So now I also own a small collection of feathers (with a plan for it to get bigger) and a wonderful dip pen holder. As well as a few extra because, what the heck I have so much fun with this, why don't I try and make some to sell on my Etsy. (Still working on that last part.) My first Feather and Holder of this kind. Got new Feathers.... And then got the new holders and started making combinations and ones to sell: And then finally today I figured out that the same trick I use to make the powdered pigment inks, I can actually use with my fountain pen inks. So now I've got a white-shimmer lavender and a gold-shimmer green: And through all of this I've been constantly referencing these boards and checking out things about dip pens, how to care for them, how to deal with them, and I just wanted to finally share all that I'd managed with them.